1
as in curses
a source of harm or misfortune
regarding the new laborsaving machinery as a bane, the 19th-century Luddites went about destroying it in protest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poisons
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
a plant that is believed to be the bane of the wolf
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of banes
The actresses play the delightful mother-daughter duo Angela and Ainsley — who are oftentimes the banes of Tommy's (Billy Bob Thornton) existence — in the Taylor Sheridan series.
—
Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
The aforementioned around-town mileage, for example, was one of the biggest banes of the Jeep owner's existence.
—New Atlas, 27 Sep. 2025
Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
The aforementioned around-town mileage, for example, was one of the biggest banes of the Jeep owner's existence.
—New Atlas, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banes
Noun
-
Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
This energy can even cause a jinx, curses or even death.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2026
Noun
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At least five toxins were detected in his body, including deadly poisons such as mercury and tetrodotoxin, according to reports from Chinese media.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
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Many gardeners and homeowners prefer not to use poisons to get rid of ants, leading them to consider more natural remedies.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Autonomous task forces of drones could be assigned to defend against specific threats — Russian subs sneaking into the Atlantic Ocean, say, or a possible amphibious landing on Taiwan.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
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What’s more, Rick can’t get through to Danny, because the pop star’s brash and aggressive manager (Jack Reynor) refuses to put Rick through, and responds to his claims with threats.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Noun
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More than 10,000 rare diseases affect 30 million Americans.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Viral diseases in tomato plants cannot be treated with chemicals.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
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The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Banes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banes. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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